Alfredo Binda was born in the village of Cittiglio near Varese, Italy on August 11, 1902. He was born in Italy, but was raised in Nice, France.

Binda was a keen cyclist in his youth and used to ride on the track in Pont Magnam, France.

Binda was good on the track, but better in the mountains. He was a born climber.

Binda’s claims to fame is that he was the first cyclist to win the Giro d’Italia five times, the current record.

He is also the first man to win the World Championship Road Race three times, the current record, including the inaugural event in 1927.

Binda was the first rider to win the Giro d'Italia - World Championship Road Race in one year. He did this in 1927.

Binda won the 1925 Giro d’Italia in front of Costante Girardengo and Giovanni Brunero of Italy.

Binda won the 1927 Giro d'Italia in front of Giovanni Brunero and Antonio Negrini of Italy.

Binda won the 1928 Giro d'Italia in front of Giuseppe Pancera and Bartolomeo Aymo of Italy.

Binda won the 1929 Giro d'Italia in front of Domenico Piemontesi and Leonida Frascarelli of Italy.

Binda won the 1933 Giro d'Italia in front of Joseph Demuysere of Belgium and Domenico Piemontesi of Italy.

Binda was also 2nd in 1926 Giro d'Italia behind Giovanni Brunero of Italy.

Binda won 41 stages in the Giro d'Italia including 12 in the 1927 race alone, the current record.

Binda also won the first Mountains Jersey competition which was held in the 1933 Giro d'Italia.

The Giro d’Italia didn’t hold the Point Jersey competition until 1966. Binda would have probably won most of these as well.

Binda could have possibly won more Giro d'Italia titles, but was paid the prize money he would have won not ride in 1930 because the organizers were worried that it would kill public interest if he won again.

Binda’s other claim to fame was that he was the first cyclist to win three World Championship Road Race titles.

Binda won the inaugural World Championship Road Race, which was held in 1927, in front of Costante Girardengo of Italy and Domenico Piemontesi of Italy.

Binda won the 1930 World Championship Road Race in front of Learco Uerra of Italy and Georges Ronsse of Belgium.

Picture courtesy of www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net

Picture courtesy of www.terra.es

Binda won the 1932 World Championship Road Race in front of Remo Bertoni of Italy and Nicolas Frantz of Luxembourg.

Binda was also 3rd in the 1929 World Championship Road Race behind Georges Ronsse of Belgium and Nicolas Frantz of Luxembourg.

In addition, Binda won the Tour of Lombardy Classic four times, in 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1931.

Binda also won the Milan-San Remo Classic in 1929 and 1931.

Possibly one of Binda’s greatest moments in cycling occurred after he was retired. As coach, he had to mediate between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali when they were riding on the Italian team in the Tour de France.